[VAC] '74 Argosy Ceiling Panel Removal/Installation

["Mr. Joy H. Hansen" <joytbrew@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi All,

I thought to share my experience with removal of the ceiling panel in my '74
Argosy.

After checking all the receptacles (missed the refrigerator, so I had VOM
continuity between hot, neutral, and ground) and obvious places where there
could be a short in the AC circuits, I decided it was necessary to drop the
ceiling panel to examine all wiring.  The continuity check of isolated
sections of the AC circuit confirmed that the short was in the ceiling.  I
reasoned that mice or abrasion had compromised the wiring insulation and
caused the apparent short.  With the ceiling panel removed, I found that the
air conditioner installers had pinched the AC power line between a wood
spacer and the outer skin.  The wood spacer is held in place with screws
punched from the outside.  Of course, the screws were driven through the AC
power line in several places.  Most likely the owner never knew about the
neutral and ground being shorted.

But, my house GFI knew!

A GFI opens when there's a difference between the current in the neutral and
the hot lines.  When the neutral also uses the ground to share the current,
there's a considerable difference betwen the current in the hot and the
neutral.

In travel trailers, I understand that the neutral floats; whereas, in a
home the neutral and ground are connected at the electrical panel.  In the
case of my Argosy, I believe that wet ground and "ME" could form an
alternative path to ground for the neutral current.  Under the right
circumstance, "ME" could have a shocking experience.

The ceiling panel is one piece, about 15 feet long and is bowed into a trim
strip on each edge.  After removal of all holding rivets, lamps, vent
screens, and the inner air conditioning shroud, I tried bowing the middle
downward to slip one edge out of the channel.  Only partially successful and
damaged the edge.  Even worse, one end is sandwiched between the bathroom
bulk head and the roof - meaning that it had to be driven out from the
bulkhead so the panel could be bowed for removal.  I found that many of the
trim strip rivets were compromised between the bathroom bulkhead and the
airconditioner.  This made removal much easier than if the rivets were
fastened properly.

I opted to cut the panel across the center of the front vent and the air
conditioner openings.  The width of the panel with the cut-out is only about
6 inches and was simple to make the cut.  Well, the last half inch of the
cut wasn't all that easy.  This made each section about 5 to 6 feet long and
could be handled with some difficulty.  At each cut, I removed 1/8 inch to
allow insertion of plastic trim intended to butt the panels together.  The
trim is about 3/4 inch wide on the exposed side and 1-1/2 inches wide on the
hidden side.   I used white as it was the only color available.  I'm sure
Home Depot or other well stocked building supply stores would have several
colors.

On reassembly, the screw/rivet fasteners along the vent opening seem
adequate to restore the structural strength that might be involved with the
inner skin.

BTW, I tried using modern duct tape to hold the wiring in place so I could
reinstall insulation and the ceiling panel sections.  Unfortunately, duct
tape has a max working temperature of 170 degrees and wouldn't hold the
wires for more than a few minutes.  I opted to use an aluminum tape that
held fast in the ceiling heat.  The aluminum is not thick enough to
compromise the insulation of the wiring.  I was surprised as both types of
tape have identical temperature performance?

I had to use R-11 fiberglas batts, nominal 4 inches thick to stuff into the
2 inch space between the inner and outer skins.  Results in poor insulation,
but I couldn't find insulation any thinner.  I didn't want to spray contact
cement on everything to hold the batts in position, so I bowed wood between
the trim strips to hold the insulation in place while I reinstalled the
ceiling panels.  Once one edge of a section of ceiling panel was insterted
in the trim strip, I removed the bowed wood.  Not very neat, but it worked.

The removal of the ceiling is a nasty task, but .  .  .

Hope these "doing it my way" experiences with the Argosy ceiling panel helps
other restorers to work smart and make a similar repair with confidence 
that it can be done. :)

                                         '74 Argosy, Joy